ECONOMICS OF TRANSPORTS AND LOGISTICS

The course aims to provide the conceptual framework useful to understand the paradigm shift (disruption) in progress in the world of transport and logistics for:
1) the globalization/deglobalization of the markets (globalization/deglobalization of the supply chains)
2) the adoption of successive waves of technical progress with special reference to the "digital transition".
3)the green transition demanded for fighting climate changes
The focus will be on maritime transport and its logistics:
1) which deals with 80% of world trade in volumes on board of ships and in ports (70% in value)
2) which is the "way" that allows Italy and Europe to reach non-European markets that are gaining even greater importance than the intra-European ones.
The theme of the adaptation of the infrastructures required by the technological and organizational evolution of the maritime (and terrestrial) transport along the global logistic chains will also be taken into consideration.
Special attention will be devoted to the global logistic chains linking Europe with Asia and to the evolution from Trans European Transport Networks to Trans Global ones .

Knowledge of the evolution of freight transport flows at a global, European and Italian level
Knowledge of the main models of analysis of the determinants of the geography of freight transport flows and their interaction with the geography of infrastructure networks

Principles of general and applied (regional and transport) economics, basic knowledge of economic geography and strategy and organization design, working knowledge of English language.

CONTENTS OF THE COURSE
The global economy and its future scenarios;
The XXIst Century as Asian and African Century
International Trade and globalization processes;
Global free trade between multeralism and new protectionism
International maritime trade: Europe, the Mediterranean and beyond Suez and Gibraltar;
Maritime trasport as innovation drive along global logistic chain routes
From trans-european transport networks (TEN-T) to global ones for connecting Italy to the rest of the world
The chinese Belt and Road Initiative and the European policies for transport and its infranstructure
Aiming for such a policy of ports and their logistics as to connect Italy to the rest of the world;
Transport and the economics of their infrastructure
Infrastructure as a component of the national final demand;
Infrastrucure for economic competitivity and social quality of life
Transport and the Italian Recovery Plan (PNRR for Italy)

SUGGESTED READINGS:
1 COSTA, P., MARESCA, M. (2014). The European future of the Italian port system. Venezia, Marsilio (skipping pages from 121 to 216)
2) ITF-OECD (2019). ITF Transport Outlook 2019. OECD Publishing
3) UNCTAD (2018) 50 Years of Review of Maritime Transport, 1968-2018
4) Slides distributed during the course and avaiable online
REFERENCE READINGS:
GEERLINGS H., KUIPERS B., ZUIDWIJK R (2018). Ports and Networks, London, Routledge
STOPFORD, M. (2009). Maritime economics. London, Routledge
ARVIS J F, VESIN V, CARRUTHERS R, DUCRUET C, de LANGEN P (2018) Maritime Networks, Port Efficiency, and Hinterland Connectivity in the Mediterranean
PARAG KHANNA (2018) The future is Asian. New York, Simon and Shuster
OTHER COURSE MATERIALS

The exam takes place through a written test consisting in answering some questions related to the topics discussed in the course.
The question will be formulated in order to verify the ability to use concepts and methods acquired and used in the course with reference to Italian, European and world realities

Cooperative learning and case studies. Students are required to actively paticipate to the classroom debate

English

None

written